CEBU CITY, Philippines (PNA) – Cebu needs a second airport and a train system to maintain its economic leadership in manufacturing, trade and shipping, an official of a nature conservation group said. But Lorenzo Tan, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) chief executive officer, proposed that the second airport rise in Bogo City or Medellin town in northern Cebu, which have wider plains.

Tan frowned at the proposal to reclaim foreshore lands in Cordova town adjacent to Mactan to build another airport and international seaport, saying it would be expensive. There are plans to transfer the Mactan Cebu International
Airport to Cordova town even as property developers have expressed interest to buy the 300-hectare property where the airport stands.

CHED moratorium

CEBU CITY (PNA) – An official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Cebu City cannot establish its own city college because of the commission’s moratorium on new educational institutions.

CHED 7 Assistant Director Candelario Aytona told the Cebu City Council the CHED en banc issued Resolution No. 226-2010 on Sept. 13 last year imposing a moratorium on the establishment of local universities and colleges, state universities and colleges, and satellite campuses,  and the offering of higher education programs. Aytona said its effectivity is “indefinite.”

Camp transfer

MACTAN, Cebu – High-ranking officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wanted to help expedite the transfer of the Central Command (Centcom) headquarters to the Mactan Benito Abuen Airbase in Lapu-lapu City from its current home in Barangay Apas, Cebu City. Maj. Gen. Eduardo Tamayo, deputy chief of staff for logistics J4; Brig. Gen. Arnaldo Fernandez, chief of the Real Estate Office; Brig. Gen. Romulo Cabantac, AFP chief engineer; and Atty. Norman Daanoy of the Department of National Defense met with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to facilitate the transfer which has dragged on for two years. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

Mosul ties

CEBU CITY – Just a week after signing a sisterhood agreement with the Valparaiso Region in Chile, the Province of Cebu has once again updated its list of international partners as it signed a sisterhood agreement with the Provincial Government of Mosul, Iraq.

The signing of the agreement Friday became a first for Mosul, a province that has long been closed to other countries due to the recent war. Mosul Gov. Athil Abdulazeez Mohammed Alnajafie showed interest to establish ties with Cebu considering the province's significance in terms of business and employment, among others. Alnajafie arrived in Cebu on Thursday and paid a courtesy call to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
(Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

Ship sanitation

CEBU CITY – Recognizing the efforts of the various shipping companies in making their vessels more convenient to the riding public by adhering to the codes of sanitation, the Region 7 office of the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) recently awarded the cleanest ships in six categories.

Dr. Edgardo Sabitsana, during the awarding ceremony, said this year’s winners were identified after the conduct of regular and surprise inspections inside every ships. “Aside from our regular inspections we have also conducted
surprise visits to check whether these ships are consistent in their sanitation efforts,” he said. (Phoebe Jen Indino)